Motor fuel



Patented June 13, 1933- NI D STA TES'PATENT OFFICE LEO P. GHEBOTAB, OI BEACON, NEW YORK, 4S8IGNOB 1'0 THE TEXAS SOLITARY, Oil

' NEW YORK, N. Y, A- CORPORATION OF DELAWARE [Io Drawing.

This invention relates tomotor fuels and more particularly to the provision in the fuel of an antioxidant or inhibitor to the effect stabilization against gum formation,

5 change in color, anti-knock property or other alterations which tend to decrease the value thereof.

Accordin" to the invention, a motor fuel,

such as crac ed gasoline or other fuel which tends to undergo alterations as a result of pol merization or autoxidation, is treated by adding thereto the components of an antioxidant and then developin the antioxidant in situ by reacting with sai oxidizing agent.

It has been customary in stabilizing gasoline with antioxidants heretofore to select a compoundwhich has been previously prepared and then to add the prepared compound to the gasoline that is desired to be stabilized. Instead of first preparing the antioxidant and then adding it to the asoline, I have discovered that the antioxi ant can be rodnced in situ by adding predetermined quantities of the components of the desired antioxidant to the gasoline and then reactcomponents andevelop only a small amount of the antiing these components with the peroxides formed in the gasoline. By this means the antioxidant can be developed as required and much ex ense and time in reparation thereby avoi ed. Thus, by adding phenol and ara-phenylene-diamme to, gasoline there is developed by the eroxides which may be formed in the gaso 'ne indophenol, which has been found to be an effective antioxidant as described and claimed in my copending application Serial Number 493,916, filed November 6, 1930.

It is well known that motor fuels, such as many cracked urated hydrocar us, are unstable when. ex-

asolines containing unsatosed to light or air. The cause of this instability has been found to be due largel to formation therein of peroxides which cause formation of undesirable secondaryreaction products in the fuel. The froxides themselves arev powerful oxi izing agents and react with oxidizable compounds, themselves thereby becoming reduced.

warm the gasoline slightly, sa

tremel 'ture,'t en it is advantageous to reflux the Application fled-February 87, 19. Serial llo. 595,685.

Therefore, by adding certain oxidizable'materials to the motor fuel, oxidation of the materials to the desired extent by the peroxides is readily obtained.

In accordance with my invention, I may add the components of the antioxidant to the gasoline either before or after peroxides are formed. When the gasoline already contains peroxides, the formation of the antioxidant takes place immediately. It is preferred, however, to add the components to the fresh gasoline and then to'permit the antioxidant to develop, as peroxides are formed. In either case, it is necessary to oxidant which then serves to destroy catal tically the peroxides as formed there- 7 a ter. v

Instead of depending o' the peroxides formed in the gasoline 9. agent, I may use other oxidizing materials. Thus, I may use any of the well known oxidizers described in the literature, but I prefer to use in such cases soluble organic oxidants, such as benzoyl peroxide, cyclo- 7 hexene peroxide, etc. The oxidizing agent may be dissolved in the gasoline either before or after the addition of the components of the antioxidant, and the production of the antioxidant quickly obtained.

The reaction between the components of the antioxidant and the oxidizer usually takes place smoothly at room temperature, but in some cases it may be desirableto around 100 F. to 200 F. If the gasoline is exvolatile at the reaction temperavapors, or preferably to maintain on the oil a substantial superatmos heric pressure, for example the pressure s'e f-generated by confining the evolved vapors, to prevent boiling away of the lighter constitutents.

The components capable of forming-antioxidants that may be added to the gasoline comprise, preferably, two oupsz. 1 quinones, phenols and naphtho {and 2 aromatic amines, phenylenediamines and amino phenols. In practicing the inven- ,tion, I select at least one compound from the oxidizing 7Q each of the above groups and add a predetermined amount to the gasoline to be treated. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the ma- 5 terials just mentioned but is equally applicable to all materials ca able of oxidizing to an antioxidant and it is accordingly contemplated to include all such materials within the scope of the invention.

Many of the antioxidants produced in this way are coloring agents or dyes and therefore I ma simultaneously develop in the asoline a ye of suitable color, for ex-. amp e ranging from red to blue. Also, I may add the components of the antioxidant to a gasoline which is already colored with dye, such as a red or blue gasoline, and not only inhibit oxidation of the gasoline, but also stabilize the color of the dye already in the gasoline. Accordingly, I may select suitable components which will. develop.

. color similar to the dye already in the gasoline-and thereby augment the color as required; thus if the gasoline is colored with a red dye, I may add components which will develop a red color and asthe dye tends to fade, the color of the antioxidant will serve as an auxiliary coloring agent to maintaina constant shade. 99 As an example of one way of practicing the invention, I may add to a cracked gasoline mg. of alpha-naphthol and 20 mg. of,para-phenylenediamine per liter of the oil. If peroxides are present, or if they are formed, they are reacted with the above compounds to form an indophenol, aswill be indicated by a bluish color. It will be observed that in case the gasoline already containsa dye, the color will be adually augmented. Also) in case it is esired to hasten the. reaction, which ma. sometimes be'slow if dependent on the ormation of peroxides, an organic peroxide such as benzoyl peroxide may be added. The resulting gasoline isfound to be substantially increased in resistance toward oxidation.

Instead of para-phenglene in the above example, I may use a su stituted derivative, such as dimethyl or' diethyl para-phenylm enediamine, or I may substitute there or an aminophenol, say ortho-aminophenol, or.

I may use instead ofeither'of the foregoing an aromatic amine or a substituted amine, for example aniline or dimethyl aniline. Also, I may replace the alpha-naphthol in the above example with hydroquinone or us. hthaquinone.

Sbviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended plans. What I claim is: 1. The method of treating cracked gasoline to increase the resistance thereof toward yOXldfltlOD which comprises adding the componentsflof an antioxidant to the gasoline andthen developing the antioxidant in situ by reacting said components with an oxidizing agent.

n 2 The method according to claim 1 in which the oxidizing agent consists of an organic eroxide.

3. T e method according to claim 1 in which the oxidizing agent consists of peroxides formed b autoxidation of the gasoline.

4. The metl lod of producing an antioxidant in cracked gasoline which comprises adding the components of an antioxidant to a gasoline containing preformed peroxides and then reacting said components with the peroxides to develop in situ the antioxidant. 5. The method of treating cracked gasoline which comprises adding to the gasoline components capable of producing an indo-.

phenol and then developing theindo henol in situ by oxidation with peroxides ormed by autoxidation of the gasoline.

6.The method according to claim 5 in which the components comprise at least one compound selected from each of the two groups consisting of: (1) phenols, naphthols and uinones; and (2) aromatic amines, heny enediamines and aminophenols. 7. motor fuel comprising gasoline to which has been added the components of an antioxidant, said components includin at least one compound selected from each 0 the twp groups consisting of: (1) phenols, naphthols and quinones; and (2). aromatic amlisnes, phenylenediamines and aminopheno 8. A composition of matter comprising cl acked gasoline which contains in solution an antioxidant of the indophenol type developed in situ by, the oxidation of the com onents of the antioxidant while dissolved 1n said gasoline.

' 9. The method of treating cracked gasoline which comprises adding to the gasoline at least one compound selected from each of the two groups consisting of (1) paraphe-- nylenediamine and its substituted deriva-. tives; and (2) phenol and alpha-naphthoh'. and then oxidizing said added componentswhile in solution in said gasoline wherebythere is formed in situ an antioxidant of the indophenol type.

10. A composition of matter comprising cracked gasoline which contains in solution I an antioxidant resulting from the oxidation in situ ofat least one compound selected from each of the two groups consistingof: (1) para-phenylenediamine and its substituted derivatives; and (2) phenol and alphana hthol. witness whereof I have hereunto set'my hand this 20th day of February, 1932. V

- LEO P. CHEBOTAR. 

